Indian Super League champions Mumbai City FC announced on Friday that they will be parting ways with head coach Sergio Lobera.
The 44-year-old Spaniard joined the club in October 2020 and oversaw their most successful campaign ever, when the Islanders became the first team in ISL history to secure both the ISL League Winners’ Shield and the ISL Trophy, completing a double in the 2020-’21 season.
After a successful spell in India, Lobera will be leaving the country to join CFG to work on a fresh challenge.
Lobera took to social media on Friday to share a heartfelt message for the club and its supporters.
Here’s the letter he wrote:
The time I have spent with the Mumbai City family and the memories we have made together, are something I will forever hold close to my heart. But now, after four wonderful years in India, it is time to say goodbye. It has been an honour for me and my family to live in this incredible country and to have been able to get to meet and know so many wonderful people.
It is extremely unfortunate that we never had the opportunity to play in Mumbai in front of our fans given the tough times we are living in, but I am delighted that we were able to achieve so much success and that we could share it with all of you.
I want to say a huge thank you to all of you for your constant support, which we could always feel even though we were far apart. I also want to thank my squad, the staff and everyone at the Club. To go through a season like no other and to come out on top takes incredible commitment and effort from the entire group, and I am proud to have lived it with the Mumbai City family. I wish everyone at Mumbai City every success moving forward.
I have particularly enjoyed working with colleagues across City Football Group and I am delighted that I have an opportunity to continue to work with them on a new project. As much as I have loved India, I feel the time is right for me and my family to take up a new challenge within City Football Group.
My family and I will be supporting Mumbai City from afar and I hope we will see each other again soon. Until then, take care and stay safe.
Aamchi Mumbai.
Sergio
Lobera has been replaced by Des Buckingham, who joins Mumbai City FC from A-League Champions Melbourne City. Buckingham will join the Islanders ahead of the 2021-’22 ISL season on a two-year contract.
Also read –Indian football: Des Buckingham replaces Sergio Lobera as head coach of ISL champions Mumbai City FC
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